Girl ran over by a car when playing on a footpath settles High Court action

High Court Reporters

A girl who was run over by a car as she was playing with her doll on a footpath has settled a High Court action for €55,000.

Sunaminta Munteanu Covaciu was only five years of age when the accident happened in Balbriggan, North County Dublin, eight years ago.

Her counsel, David Kennedy SC, told the High Court that the car mounted the footpath and drove over the girl, who was trapped underneath.

Miraculously, he said the child only sustained soft tissue injuries, bruising and is left with some scarring.

The accident occurred at Glebe Crescent, Balbriggan, on May 29th 2018, as the driver was parking the car.

Sunamita Munteanu Covaciu, who is now 13 years old from Balbriggan, Dublin, had, through her father Romulus Munteanu, sued the car driver and owner Faith Okoebor Obokhasebhor with an address care of her insurance company, AXA Insurance in Dublin city.

In the proceedings, it was claimed that the car was caused to collide and roll over the child, trapping her and that a manoeuvre had been executed when it was wholly unsafe to do so.

An emergency, it was claimed, had been created from which the child had no opportunity of escaping.

It was also claimed that there was a failure to keep any or any adequate and proper lookout and a failure to drive the car at a speed at which the vehicle could be brought to a halt to avoid the accident.

Liability was admitted in the case.

Counsel told the court that the little girl, for a while after the accident suffered anxiety and nightmares and had a fear crossing the road.

Approving the settlement, Judge Paul Coffey said it was fair and reasonable.

The judge said he was delighted the girl had made a full recovery and he wished her all the best for the future.